2022 Lineup

It is possible, but seems like a remote chance, they will go to 12 pitchers. Its hard to come up with 3 position players to go out. It gets even harder if we accept that Mo is not going to flush Dickerson’s contract yet. So three position players not including Dickerson would have to go.

I think it comes to 1. Nootbaar, 2. Donovan or Sosa, 3. Yepez or Gorman.

It is obvious the org is looking for an alternative to Sosa, and I can’t think what else Donovan could do to earn it, other than having more track record. But it might be time to pull the plug on Sosa.

Yepez and Gorman is a hard one. Sending Gorman would leave only 3 middle infielders (DeJong, Donovan, Edman) and I can’t imagine Mo would do that, but it should not be entirely dismissed since all three are shortstop capable. The argument against sending Yepez is that he does not have the history of ineptitude vs LHP that Gorman has. Obviously offing Dickerson and what’s left of his $5 Million would allow both Yepez and Gorman to remain. But, we know how that will go.

Here is what I want to see:

Edman
Donovan
Goldy
NA
Yepez vs RHP, Carlson vs LHP
Carlson vs RHP, Yepez vs LHP
O’Neill (or Burly at some point sooner rather than later)
catcher
Bader

Albert could fill in around the edges, PH etc. Dickerson needs to be offloaded somehow.
PDJ’s batting line for June in AAA is .246/.290/.639/.929. Its seems pretty much like the homer a week and nothing much in between that we’ve seen before. He’d probably get carved up in MLB, but maybe not a downgrade from Sosa. Except he wouldn’t sit on the bench as much, taking more reps from somebody better.
I know the thinking is Herrera is up until Yadi comes back, but if he proves to be defensively comparable to Knizner, what do we have to lose? With the backup catcher probably playing a lot from here on, we need more that an automatic out offensively.

Here is what I want to see:

Vs RHP
1. Edman SS (S)
2. Donovan 2B (L)
3. Goldschmidt 1B (R)
4. Arenado 3B (R)
5. Gorman DH (L)
6. O’Neill LF (R)
7. Carlson RF (S)
8. Knizner C (R)
9. Bader CF (R)
Gorman at 2B and Donovan wherever you need him to let someone else DH.

Vs LHP
1. Edman SS (S) quit moving him to 2B
2. Bader CF (R)
3. Goldschmidt 1B (R)
4. Arenado 3B (R)
5. Pujols DH (R)
6. O’Neill LF (R)
7. Carlson RF (R)
8. Knizner C (R)
9. Sosa 2B (R)
Yepez in both line ups can spell O’Neill and Carlson when needed, to me he’d be splitting time about 50/50 with O’Neill. He could play LF or RF or he could DH, Gorman to 2B, Donovan to LF/RF.
Nootbaar included in a trade for pitching help. Burleson becomes the immediate depth in AAA. I don’t see them giving Burleson a shot at starting until next year and it’s probably at a platoon with Yepez at DH, maybe LF if Mo gets off his crush for O’Neill and gets rid of him, but a Yepez/Burleson LF could be pretty poor defensively.

Ny said:

I think that the organization will hold on to any outfielders with a pulse. After MEM not much to write home about. Outside of Gomez there’s no other OF having a very good season. The FO must be betting on the current Cardinal OFers being around for a while.

Don’t forget about Mr. Walker…

Look at the teams that are likely sellers. BAL, DET, KC, OAK, WASH, PIT, CHC, CIN, COL.
Then there are the borderline teams that could sell, but they are still relatively in the hunt, expected to compete with the current roster, or multiple big contracts, and probably just retool a bit and try again next year but not necessarily going to sell. LAA, AZ, CHWS, TEX. I would say LAA should sell, but I don’t see their ownership doing it and still trying to compete with Trout and Ohtani, but pending FA could possibly be sold, but they are going to want major league ready returns I’m sure. The only reason I included CHWS here and not buyers is they have a good starting staff that is controlled and Cueto is a pending FA and selling him, but buying elsewhere could be an option because they aren’t out of it yet.
9 sellers
3-4 stuck in the middle
17-18 buyers (depending on where CHWS fall)

The price for anyone is going to be high. The demand is much higher than the supply, especially when you factor those 9 teams are selling for a reason…they aren’t good.